Marked and Unmarked
by Lorewen
Summary: All of the Dark Lord's inner circle bore his Mark as a symbol of their commitment to his service - all but one. This is the story of that one, a witch too timid and sensitive to be either a threat or an asset to her husband's master. Or so everyone thought.
1. An Unpleasant Surprise

_For anyone who saw this earlier, I'm sorry about the formatting issues. I didn't realize the site had done that to me. To the guest who flamed me about it, thank you for pointing out the problem so I could fix it, but couldn't you have told me nicely?_

When Cissy woke on the morning after her wedding, early as usual, the first thing she noticed was her new husband's left arm draped across her waist, and his body pressed against her back. She smiled tightly. Lucius Malfoy was far from being the perfect companion and confidante of her girlhood dreams, but she had always admired his aristocratic good looks and his quiet strength. What more could a well-bred girl of eighteen be expected to want?

As the light grew in the Malfoy heir's bedroom, a soft glow was reflected from the white satin dress robe draped over a chair. Cissy thought back to the hours she had worn that robe, only the day before, and the varied reactions of her family when she had first appeared in it. She remembered Bella's grin and Cousin Reggie's shy support. She rolled her eyes again over Cousin Siri's air of boredom and disdain. She smiled at the thought of her parents' proud smiles, and how close Lucius had come to breaking his dignified façade.

It was a beautiful wedding, she decided. Father and Mother both said so, and Lord and Lady Malfoy seemed to enjoy it as well. Even Aunt Walburga looked pleased - as well she should. Lord Malfoy was even more wealthy than the Blacks, and the family was one of the most respected in Pureblood society, both Light and Dark.

After Dromeda's scandalous marriage to a Muggleborn last year, Cissy had known she must be all the more careful in choosing her own husband. Almost anything was better than being disowned as her sister had been, and as Cousin Siri soon would be unless he mended his ways. On the other hand, she wanted nothing to do with violent Supremacists like Father and Uncle Orion, let alone fanatical Death Eaters like Bella's husband Rodolphus and his brother Rastaban.

Lucius believed in Pureblood Supremacy, but as far as Cissy knew he preferred to advance the cause peacefully, through politics and other comparatively Light methods. She supposed she could live with that.

Quietly, trying not to wake her husband, Cissy slipped out of bed, glided to the window, and looked out into the mist-filled garden. "Lovely!" she breathed. The sun was just beginning to rise, flooding the mist with color. For a few moments, she was content to stand there gazing, but soon the urge to go out overcame her, and she dressed herself quickly. About to leave the room, she glanced back at her sleeping husband, wondering if he would wake while she was gone, and if he would mind. Perhaps not. She would only stay for a little while, after all.

At that moment, Cissy noticed a dark shadow on the arm that rested atop the covers. Curious, she edged closer to see what it was. To her horror, she recognized the skull-and-serpent symbol of the Dark Lord, the symbol she knew only the highest-ranking Death Eaters wore. She choked back a sob. This could _not_ be happening to her. Not now. Not after all her careful planning, all the time she had spent evaluating every suitor, weighing the horror of marrying a Dark wizard against the terror of being disowned for marrying a Light one. Lucius was supposed to be the perfect balance between them! A Death Eater from the inner circle? How could she have missed it?

Desperate to be alone, Cissy stumbled out of the room, closed the door as quietly as she could, and Apparated to the garden. Once there, she collapsed among the flowers and cried as she had not cried since her favorite sister was lost to her - through a marriage as foolish in its own way as the one in which Cissy now found herself trapped.

An hour later, Cissy pulled herself together and used her wand to remove all evidence that she had been crying. It was time to face Lucius. She would just have to take this one day at a time, and try not to seem worthy of the Dark Lord's notice.

 _If there are scenes in Narcissa's life that you would like to see, just ask! Otherwise, I plan on sticking mostly to book- and movie-verse scenes, with a few pure-speculation ones thrown in, like this one. Enjoy!_


	2. A Son

Dromeda,

Draco Lucius Malfoy was born yesterday, 5 June, at 11.24 a.m. He already has his father's white-blond hair and pointed features, and I cannot say I am disappointed by that. You know how I have always loved Lucius' hair and his good looks.

I just wish... it is important to have a male heir to carry on the family name; I know that. It is shameful enough for us, having no brothers. At least we have Cousin Reggie. Lucius would have been quite disappointed, perhaps even angry, if I had given him a daughter first, especially after nearly six years of childless marriage. But a son... will be his child, not mine as a daughter would be. He will be raised with extreme Supremacist values, and will almost certainly end up serving the Dark Lord, unless He is defeated first, and what are the chances of that?

It's not that I don't love my baby. I love him more than I have ever loved anyone before, even you or Bella, but for his own sake, I almost wish he were a girl, so that I would be allowed to raise her in my own way.

But boy or girl, it would make no difference for tonight. Lucius is expected to introduce his wife and child to his master. Now that I have given my husband an heir - and the Dark Lord a future Death Eater - I am considered worthy of the honor of meeting Him.

I'm scared, Dromeda. For six years, I have put this off, giving lip service to the ideas and activities that Lucius values, but always avoiding actually meeting his master. When He chose Lestrange Manor for His home for a time, I even stopped visiting Bella, covering it up by asking her to visit me more often. I pretended to be unwell whenever she invited me to come to her. But now, He has called for me Himself, and none of my usual excuses is worth anything against that.

How can I stand in His presence and pretend to be on His side? He is the greatest Legilimens in Britain, perhaps even greater than Dumbledore! Should I imitate Bella's fawning adoration, or Lucius's firm support, or Cousin Reggie's deep respect, or will He see right through all of that? Or should I be so overwhelmed by the honor of being near Him that I cannot put together a coherent sentence? Now that I think about it, that might be a convenient excuse not to meet His eyes, as well as preventing Him from thinking of me as a useful servant.

I know your husband used to pray sometimes, at Hogwarts. I won't venture to ask the son of Muggles to pray for the wife of a Death Eater, but perhaps he has taught you how? If so, perhaps you would not mind saying a few quiet words for your little sister?

I need not tell you to destroy this letter as soon as you read it. If anyone asks, I simply wanted to let my estranged sister know that I, the last of us to marry, have become the first to produce a son, or any child at all. Consider yourself put in your place, childless wife - and please don't actually be offended. I love you, Andromeda Black Tonks, though the last seven years may not have told you so.

Your sister always,

Cissy


End file.
